High school sweethearts are all fun and games until there comes that moment after senior year when the couple must make a difficult choice. Will they continue long-distance or call it quits? Many students here at SNU have faced this dilemma, and they have a lot to say on the topic.
Freshman graphic design student Zoie Altland and her boyfriend, Oscar, have been together for nearly 10 months. They began their relationship as coworkers but have had to adjust over the last six months to being more than an hour apart.
Altland expressed that one of her favorite ways to stay connected despite the distance is by playing digital games together and sending selfies. Altland noted that she “loves getting to see his handsome face.”
For others who are considering long-distance, Altland wished to encourage them to “develop trust early since you won’t be with them all the time.” Despite the miles between them, Altland and her boyfriend maintain a strong connection built on trust.
Noah Hawkins, a freshman pastoral ministry student, and his girlfriend have been together for nearly three years. Because of their differing educational goals, they are attempting long-distance for the first time. Even with a strong foundation, the time apart had required a large adjustment for both of them. Hawkins noted, “Going from one mile apart to 300 has been a challenging adjustment for both of us.”
They stay connected through their shared Minecraft realm, frequent calls, and monthly reflections to ensure they are still on the same page. Hawkins emphasized the importance of intentionality in maintaining the relationship.
He advised anyone about to transition to long-distance to “forgive often, give grace abundantly, and ask for forgiveness more than you think you need to. Long distance comes with many more hurdles than normal relationships.”
Hawkins added, “Long distance has been just as much a joy as a hurdle, the new experience has caused us to adapt in new ways we didn’t think our relationship was ready for, it leads us to communicate with more intentionality and love. Long-distance has truly strengthened our relationship more than it’s weakened it.”
Several other people on campus in long-distance relationships have said similar things as Altland and Hawkins, placing a large emphasis on trust, communication, and intentionality.
If both partners are willing to work both individually and together to strengthen these areas, they can thrive no matter the distance between them. While there are challenges to overcome, long-distance does not always have to be something to dread, but something to be taken as an opportunity to grow and strengthen the relationship in new ways.
Photo Credit: Noah Hawkins